Eighteenth Judicial District - Arapahoe County Court Judge
Honorable Colleen E. Clark
Retention Year: 2022
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance finds, by a vote of 8-0 (with two commissioners not participating), that Judge Colleen E. Clark MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. The Colorado statutory judicial performance standards are integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and the public.
Judge Clark presides over a criminal docket. Based on the Commission’s overall evaluation, Judge Clark has demonstrated she meets or exceeds performance standards in almost all categories. Her even demeanor and temperament led her to being described as a solid hardworking judge. Judge Clark received high marks in case management, communication, and diligence in handling difficult cases. This was consistent with her last Judicial Performance Evaluation. Judge Clark was one of the leaders in the use of technology and WEBEX during the pandemic.
The Commission met with Chief Judge Michelle A. Amico to discuss her interactions with Judge Clark, as well as the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Probation Department for feedback on Judge Clark’s performance. The Commission personally interviewed Judge Clark and reviewed her written self-evaluation. Members also observed Judge Clark and reviewed 2022 Judicial Performance Survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys. Judge Clark received an overall performance rating of 3.4 of a possible 4.0, compared to the average for all county court judges of 3.4. Among the survey questions was, "based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Clark meets judicial performance standards?" Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 83% answered yes, meets performance standards, 8% answered no, does not meet performance standards and 8% had no opinion. Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 75% answered yes, meets performance standards, 20% answered no, does not meet performance standards, and 5% had no opinion. These numbers may not total 100 due to rounding. A total of 13 attorneys and 27 non- attorneys responded to the judicial performance surveys expressing their opinions of Judge Clark’s performance.
Judge Clark has been a practicing attorney in Colorado for eighteen years. She was appointed to serve on the Arapahoe County Court bench effective October 6, 2016. Prior to her current appointment Judge Clark worked as a magistrate and a municipal court judge. Before becoming a judge, she worked as a prosecutor in many jurisdictions across the state and specialized in crimes against persons, mostly children. Judge Clark currently serves on the Colorado Supreme Court Task Force on Wellbeing. Judge Clark is currently the District Director for the National Association of Women Judges and a member of the International Association of Women Judges. Judge Clark serves on the board for the Colorado Women’s Bar Association. Judge Clark was in the Leadership Cherry Creek 2020 class. Judge Colleen Clark received her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Rochester and her juris doctorate from Boston University.